IGENITY^® for dairy

IGENITY^® — Longevity

While there are many genetic and environmental factors involved in how long cows last, two good indicators of longevity are productive life and dairy form. The impact of these traits has been well documented. But selection efforts to improve longevity have proven to be difficult because:

• Heritability of productive life is low¹
• Productive life could not be reliably calculated, using traditional methods, until late in an animal's life²
• Selecting for lower dairy form has usually meant selecting for lower milk production

We are now learning that ignoring these traits can significantly decrease on-farm profitability.³

Dairy Form
Research has shown that cows high in dairy form are more susceptible to metabolic, reproductive and foot and leg problems³. Dairy Form is closely related to productive life, especially through its effect on reproductive traits. Animals receiving a 10 score for Dairy Form as part of the IGENITY Profile, will have low dairy form — a good indicator of longevity.

The table below shows the reasons for involuntary cow culling⁴

Productive Life
Producers know that fewer than 60% of cows make it past their second lactation, but few know that the value of every extra month of Productive Life (PL) translates an additional £23.27 profit per cow². The Productive Life analysis in the IGENITY profile uses multiple DNA markers to predict an animal's actual genetic potential for PL — and it works at any age.

For further information about the IGENITY Profiling service please call 0845 603 8895 or alternatively email igenity@cscuk.co.uk.

To order an IGENITY Profiling kit, please click here